Skip to content
Michiplan

Kanazawa, Shirakawa-go and Takayama in 5 days: a day-by-day itinerary

5 days · 22 places · Nights near Minamicho, by Oyama Shrine (central Kanazawa), Shirakawa-go (Ogimachi village), Takayama, by the Jin'ya

This route crosses the mountains from the coast: in at Komatsu, two days in Kanazawa, then buses up through Gokayama to Shirakawa-go, and on to Takayama before flying out of Toyama. Sleeping in Shirakawa-go means you see the village in the evening after the day visitors have gone, and the early ride on day 4 has you in Takayama before nine. The last morning starts at the Miyagawa Morning Market at seven and ends in the old town before the ride to the airport.

Calculated by Michiplan for a trip starting Wed, Nov 18, 2026, with days from 06:00. 14 of 17 rides are estimated from how often the line runs; the rest come from published timetables. Check the times before you go.

Add this trip to MichiplanIt opens with each place on its day, ready to calculate for your own dates or change.

Day 1: Kanazawa: the castle and the 21st Century Museum

Wed, Nov 18, 2026 · 2 places · 2h 16m on the move
  1. Komatsu Airport (KMQ) · leave 10:00

  2. 1h 48m, 2 changesEstimated time: this line publishes no open timetable, so the ride is worked out from how often it runs. Check before you go

    1. 15 min
    2. 北鉄加賀バス: 空港連絡線 · 16 min
    3. IR Ishikawa Railway Line · 30 min
    4. 北鉄金沢バス ・北陸鉄道: 錦町粟崎線 (+1) · 6 min
  3. Leave the bags at Minamicho, by Oyama Shrine (central Kanazawa), 11:48–11:58
  4. Lunch near Minamicho, by Oyama Shrine (central Kanazawa) 11:58–12:58

  5. 8 min

    1. Stop 1: Kanazawa Castle13:06–15:36

    2. 9 min

      1. Stop 2: 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa15:45–17:45

      2. 11 minEstimated time: this line publishes no open timetable, so the ride is worked out from how often it runs. Check before you go

        1. 北陸鉄道: 城下町金沢周遊バス (+5) · 4 min
      3. Dinner near Minamicho, by Oyama Shrine (central Kanazawa) 17:56–18:56
      4. Hotel near Minamicho, by Oyama Shrine (central Kanazawa) · arrive 17:56

      Day 2: Kanazawa: Kenroku-en, Nagamachi and Higashi Chaya

      Thu, Nov 19 · 7 places · 1h 37m on the move
      1. Hotel near Minamicho, by Oyama Shrine (central Kanazawa) · leave 06:46

      2. 8 minEstimated time: this line publishes no open timetable, so the ride is worked out from how often it runs. Check before you go

        1. 北陸鉄道: 城下町金沢周遊バス (+5) · 4 min
      3. Stop 3: Kenroku-en Park07:00–09:00
      4. Breakfast near Kenroku-en Park 09:00–10:00

      5. 5 min

        1. Stop 4: Seisonkaku10:05–11:35
        2. Lunch near Seisonkaku 11:35–12:35

        3. 6 min

          1. Stop 5: D. T. Suzuki Museum12:41–14:11

          2. 18 minEstimated time: this line publishes no open timetable, so the ride is worked out from how often it runs. Check before you go

            1. 北陸鉄道: 城下町金沢周遊バス (+5) · 8 min
          3. Stop 6: Myôryûji (Ninjadera Temple)14:29–15:09

          4. 15 minEstimated time: this line publishes no open timetable, so the ride is worked out from how often it runs. Check before you go

            1. 北鉄金沢バス: 安原線 (+16) · 4 min
          5. Stop 7: Nagamachi Samurai District15:24–16:19

          6. 10 min

            1. Stop 8: Oyama Shrine16:29–17:24

            2. 19 minEstimated time: this line publishes no open timetable, so the ride is worked out from how often it runs. Check before you go

              1. 北陸鉄道: 城下町金沢周遊バス (+5) · 8 min
            3. Stop 9: Higashi-chaya street (Geisha district)17:43–18:43

            4. 16 minEstimated time: this line publishes no open timetable, so the ride is worked out from how often it runs. Check before you go

              1. 北陸鉄道: 城下町金沢周遊バス (+5) · 8 min
            5. Dinner near Minamicho, by Oyama Shrine (central Kanazawa) 18:59–19:59
            6. Hotel near Minamicho, by Oyama Shrine (central Kanazawa) · arrive 18:59

            Day 3: Gokayama: Ainokura and Suganuma, then Shirakawa-go

            Fri, Nov 20 · 6 places · 4h 10m on the move
            1. Hotel near Minamicho, by Oyama Shrine (central Kanazawa) · leave 06:30

            2. 7 minEstimated time: this line publishes no open timetable, so the ride is worked out from how often it runs. Check before you go

              1. 北鉄金沢バス ・北陸鉄道: 錦町粟崎線 (+1) · 6 min
            3. Stop 10: Tsuzumi-mon Gate06:37–07:37

            4. 15 minEstimated time: this line publishes no open timetable, so the ride is worked out from how often it runs. Check before you go

              1. 北鉄金沢バス ・北陸鉄道: 錦町粟崎線 (+1) · 6 min
            5. Collect the bags at Minamicho, by Oyama Shrine (central Kanazawa), 07:52–08:02
            6. Breakfast near Minamicho, by Oyama Shrine (central Kanazawa) 08:02–09:02

            7. 1h 49m, 2 changesEstimated time: this line publishes no open timetable, so the ride is worked out from how often it runs. Check before you go

              1. 北鉄金沢バス ・北陸鉄道: 錦町粟崎線 (+1) · 8 min
              2. 加越能バス（一般路線）: Kanazawa Eki-Nishiguchi(Kanazawa Sta. West) – Johana Eki-mae(Johana Sta.) · 1h 1m
              3. 加越能バス（世界遺産バス）: Takaoka Ekimae-7-Ban noriba(Takaoka Sta.Bus stop 7) – Shirakawago · 24 min
              4. 5 min
            8. Stop 11: Ainokura village10:59–11:59

            9. 34 min

              1. 5 min
              2. 加越能バス（世界遺産バス）: Takaoka Ekimae-7-Ban noriba(Takaoka Sta.Bus stop 7) – Shirakawago · 14 min
              3. 5 min
            10. Lunch near Suganuma Village 12:33–13:33
            11. Stop 12: Suganuma Village13:33–14:33

            12. 1h 1m

              1. 5 min
              2. 加越能バス（世界遺産バス）: Takaoka Ekimae-7-Ban noriba(Takaoka Sta.Bus stop 7) – Shirakawago · 37 min
            13. Stop 13: Wada house15:34–16:44

            14. 6 min

              1. Stop 14: Ogimachi Castle Observation Deck16:50–17:30

              2. 10 min

                1. Stop 15: Shirakawa-gō17:40–19:20

                2. 8 min

                  1. Dinner near Shirakawa-go (Ogimachi village) 19:28–20:28
                  2. Hotel near Shirakawa-go (Ogimachi village) · arrive 19:28

                  Day 4: Takayama: Hida Folk Village and the Jin'ya

                  Sat, Nov 21 · 3 places · 3h 37m on the move
                  1. Hotel near Shirakawa-go (Ogimachi village) · leave 06:00
                  2. Leave the bags at Shirakawa-go (Ogimachi village), 06:00–06:10

                  3. 2h 31m, 1 changeEstimated time: this line publishes no open timetable, so the ride is worked out from how often it runs. Check before you go

                    1. Taxi · 49 min
                    2. Takayama Main Line · 19 min
                    3. 10 min
                  4. Leave the bags at Takayama, by the Jin'ya, 08:41–08:51
                  5. Breakfast near Takayama, by the Jin'ya 08:51–09:51

                  6. 12 minEstimated time: this line publishes no open timetable, so the ride is worked out from how often it runs. Check before you go

                    1. 高山市: 匠バス · 10 min
                  7. Stop 16: Hida Folk Village10:18–11:48
                  8. Lunch near Hida Folk Village 11:48–12:48

                  9. 38 minEstimated time: this line publishes no open timetable, so the ride is worked out from how often it runs. Check before you go

                    1. 高山市: 匠バス · 13 min
                    2. 8 min
                  10. Stop 17: Takayama Festival Floats Exhibition Hall13:26–14:36

                  11. 15 min

                    1. Stop 18: Takayama Jin’ya14:51–16:21

                    2. 1 min

                      1. Dinner near Takayama, by the Jin'ya 17:00–18:00
                      2. Hotel near Takayama, by the Jin'ya · arrive 16:22

                      Day 5: Takayama: morning market and the old town

                      Sun, Nov 22 · 4 places · 4h 22m on the move
                      1. Hotel near Takayama, by the Jin'ya · leave 06:51

                      2. 9 min

                        1. Stop 19: Miyagawa Morning Market07:00–07:45
                        2. Breakfast near Miyagawa Morning Market 07:45–08:45

                        3. 6 min

                          1. Stop 20: Hida Kokubunji Temple09:00–09:40

                          2. 13 min

                            1. 濃飛乗合自動車（濃飛バス） 飛騨高山周遊バス: 高山濃飛バスセンター – Takayama Historical Government Office · 6 min
                          3. Stop 21: Sakurayama Hachiman-gu Shrine09:53–10:23

                          4. 14 min

                            1. Stop 22: Old Town, Sanmachi Suji10:37–11:37

                            2. 5 min

                              1. Collect the bags at Takayama, by the Jin'ya, 11:42–11:52
                              2. Lunch near Takayama, by the Jin'ya 11:52–12:52

                              3. 3h 35m, 1 changeEstimated time: this line publishes no open timetable, so the ride is worked out from how often it runs. Check before you go

                                1. 10 min
                                2. Takayama Main Line · 1h 36m
                                3. 富山地方鉄道バス: Toyama Sta. – Toyama Airport · 24 min
                                4. 8 min
                              4. Toyama Airport (TOY) · 16:27

                              Good to know

                              • The two longest rides are the airport ones: about 1 hour 50 minutes from Komatsu Airport into Kanazawa on day 1, and about 3 hours 35 minutes from Takayama to Toyama Airport on day 5, so the last day leaves Takayama just before one. Between them, the longest ride is about two and a half hours from Shirakawa-go to Takayama.
                              • You go up to Shirakawa-go on day 3 by bus through Gokayama, stopping at Ainokura and Suganuma, and leave on day 4 at 06:10 by taxi to Tsunogawa station, then the train to Takayama. Book that early taxi when you check in.
                              • Myoryuji, the Ninja Temple, is seen on a guided tour that has to be booked ahead, so reserve the 14:30 slot on day 2 before the trip.
                              • On day 3 your bags travel with you from Kanazawa, on the buses through Ainokura and Suganuma and around Shirakawa-go, so one case per person that you can carry yourself makes the day much easier.
                              • In mid-November the sun sets before five, so the Ogimachi viewpoint and the evening walk in Shirakawa-go are around dusk and after dark, and the mountain villages are cold; bring a warm layer for day 3.

                              Plan your own

                              It opens with each place on its day, ready to calculate for your own dates or change. Bring the places you want to see. Michiplan puts each on a day and in order around opening hours and train times, and it is free while in beta.

                              Add this trip to Michiplan

                              More example itineraries

                              Photo credits